The Other Side of This Life
by Totter4
Summary: If Meredith hadn't made it that day in Elliot Bay and drowned.
1. Chapter 1

Richard Webber walked up the unfamiliar walkway to the normal house that belonged to a normal family, unwittingly mimicking the steps of Meredith months earlier. There was no one really to inform. Ellis was dead, Christina was there was Meredith was declared, the other interns all in the hospital, knowing the worst was possible, but dreading it. Derek was with Ellis, trying to save his girlfriend's mother, but ultimately failing. Everyone who needed to know was informed. And he was the only one who thought to inform the man that left Meredith Grey. He knocked on the door but hadn't accounted for what would happen if Thatcher wasn't the Grey to answer the door.

"Hello? May I help you?" A young woman, balancing a baby smiled at him, unaware that he was about to change her family's world…or at least some part of him hoped Thatcher still cared enough for his eldest daughter that he'd care.

"I'm looking for Thatcher."

"He's in the study, come in." She opened the door further, letting Richard in. "Who should I say is visiting?"

"Richard Webber…I'm an old friend." He took his hat off and held it to his chest.

"Richard?" An older Thatcher walked into the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

Richard had to admit, Thatcher's voice only held the smallest hint of displeasure. "Thatcher." Richard smiled sadly. "Could we sit?" He smiled as Thatcher's new wife, Susan, appeared behind the man.

"Yes, sure." He nodded gesturing for Richard to follow him. "What brings you around?" He sat on a large, plush chair as Richard took a seat on the couch across from him.

"I wanted to come in person. Ellis died yesterday."

"Oh, I'm sorry—"

"That's not all."

Thatcher leaned back, confused. "What is it?"

"Seattle Grace was called to the Bay to help with the ferry boat accident yesterday." He shook his head. "Meredith was one of the doctors who …she was on scene and there was an incident. Thatcher…I'm so sorry."

"What are you saying?"

"We did everything we could. We went beyond what we would have done for any other patient. She was too cold, gone too long."

"She's…dead?"

"She saved a man's life."

"Get out." Thatcher stood abrutly. "You ruined my family. You destroyed them-"

"Thatch—"

"Get out!" He yelled.

" _Thatcher._ " Susan stood next to their daughter— _Meredith's sister—_ looking shocked.

"I should go." Richard shook his head. "I'll call when we have the arrangements ironed out…for both of them." He added, heartbroken.

"Dad?" Richard heard his daughter address Thatcher as he turned his back to walk back to the front door.

Some part of him was glad that Thatcher was distraught: he abandoned Meredith and Ellis. But the other half—the devastated father he felt like—felt sorry for Thatcher. He wanted Meredith to survive. He promised she would only be declared when she was warm and dead but they never finished that promise.


	2. Chapter 2

Mark hadn't called this number in months, ashamed that he had caused the breakup of Derek—his brother's—marriage.

"Mark?" The familiar, comforting voice of Carolyn Shepherd answered the phone on the third rang. She was always quick to pick up the phone when it was one of her children and she considered Mark to be one of her own. "It's so good to hear from you."

"Hi." His voice was gruff. He'd hauled Derek home last night from Joe's after he got a call at the hospital from the bartender saying Derek was being cut off and needed a ride home. The man was heartbroken. He wouldn't go to Meredith's house, instead choosing to return to his trailer.

"How's Seattle? We heard about that dreadful accident yesterday, but Derek didn't answer his phone. I figured it was because he was so busy with patients…"

He knew that Carolyn was worried he was calling with bad news. Which he was, just different news than she feared. "About that. Derek needs you."

"Mark?" Her voice was laced with maternal fear.

"His…Meredith died. He's…she's gone." He couldn't describe it. He knew what Derek and Meredith had was more than a boyfriend/girlfriend romance, but he wasn't sure the extent Carolyn knew. He knew she knew who Meredith was, but…Derek's relationship was impossible to describe.

"Oh god, Mark. Is he okay?"

"He's not taking it well. He could really use some family."

"I'll call you with flight details."

"Thank you."

"i'd do the same thing if it were you, Mark."

"I know. I'll see you soon."


	3. Chapter 3

Lexie Grey talked to her mother every day, and her sister almost as often, but she was surprised when her dad was calling her that day. She was even more surprised to find out the half-sister she never met, but always knew about, was dead. She didn't know why but she found herself insisting on flying home for the funeral.

Something about the mystery of her older sister always spoke to her, so Lexie had researched Meredith when she was in college and kept track of her. Last she learned, Meredith was a surgical intern in Seattle. She wondered if her death had to do with that big ferry accident that happened two days ago. She found herself, standing next to her sister and mother, who stood next to Thatcher, in a black dress she'd only worn once before for her med school interview three years earlier. She'd been applying for internships since she graduated, and stayed on the east coast for the most part, however she was rethinking things. She wanted to come home, and find things out about the sister she'd never know. She saw a man call out to her father and approach them. He was about the same age as her father, tall and dark. He shook her father's hand and clapped him on the back.

"I'm glad you came." He smiled sadly.

"Of course." Her father answered stiffly.

"Nice to see you again, Susan. I'm Richard Webber." Richard Webber, chief of surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. She knew all about him. He was a brilliant surgeon. Her's sister's chief.

"Of course." Her mother smiled kindly. "It's nice to meet you. These are our daughters, Molly and Lexie. And Laura, Molly's daughter."

"Nice to meet you all." The awkwardness was palpable.

"The service should start soon. We're just waiting on…" He trailed off, realizing they wouldn't know who he was talking about.

"Is that Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?" Molly asked, slightly excited to see anyone she recognized in a sea of unfamiliar faces.

"Yes. She goes by Dr. Montgomery now. She…she was one of Meredith's teachers."

"I'll be right back, dad. I'm going to say hello." Lexie watched her sister as she walked towards the famous surgeon with Laura on her hip.

Richard frowned as he saw a car pull up and excused himself, leaving Lexie, Thatcher, and Susan alone. Lexie scanned the front row. She saw a beautiful blonde standing next to a shorter, dark haired man and a taller dark haired men, each in black suits. Next to the taller man, stood a pretty Asian woman, staring severely, straight ahead as a dark skinned man stood next to her, glancing at her every once in a while as he spoke to a short, African American woman.

She walked with her parents to stand in the fourth row. She couldn't help but feel awkward. In any other family, the sister and father, and maybe even step-mother, would be standing in the front row, but instead strangers were standing in the front row, mourning for her stranger-sister. She watched as Dr. Webber walked past them, offering her a sad smile when he caught her eye, his hand on the shoulder of a handsome man with dark, curly hair while another handsome man, older than her, but around the age of the first handsome man, walked behind the pair with an older woman. She couldn't help but wonder who these people were to her sister as the man walked blindly to the front row, taking his place next to the African American woman.

During the ceremony, when everyone else was listening to the priest speak about how Meredith and Ellis were great doctors, neither of which deserved to die so early, she was studying the people she assumed were Meredith's friends, and only she noticed the sorrowful look exchanged between the curly dark-haired man and the Asian woman.


	4. Chapter 4

She knew her father was hesitant to go to Meredith's home after the funeral. It had been his home once, Lexie knew. She was carrying a casserole her mother made —egg free— to the kitchen, but was surprised to see it already full of baked goods.

"Crap." She heard a woman curse as she was taking muffins out from the oven.

"Um, hi." Lexie smiled awkwardly. "Do you need help?"

"No, I burnt the muffins." She recognized the blonde from the funeral. She'd been standing behind the two dark haired men.

"You don't have enough?" Lexie eyed the dozens of muffins and cookies and cakes littering the counters.

"I bake when I'm nervous. Or sad. Or…" She trailed off. "Do I know you?"

"I'm Lexie." She smiled. "I brought a casserole."

"Thanks." The blonde put the pan on the counter.

"it's no problem…you knew Meredith, right?"

"Yeah." The blonde looked at her strangely. "She was my friend."

"I'm sorry." Lexie shook her head, regretting asking.

"Did you?"

"No." Lexie sad, sadness dripping with each word. "I didn't know Meredith." She smiled sadly. "Excuse me."

Lexie was intent to look for her parents, but was stopped by the man with dark, curly hair. He was sitting alone, on the stairs, in his suit, looking tired and heartbroken. "Hi." She offered softly standing in front of him.

The man looked up surprised. "Hi." He looked at her eyes, like he saw something familiar.

"I'd ask if you were alright…but you knew her?" Lexie leaned on the bannister, trying to imagine her father's other life in this house.

The man looked slightly shocked. "I knew her." He nodded. "No one's approached me at this." He shook his head with a sardonic smirk. "No one knows what to say."

"I'm sorry, I can go…"

"No, it's alright. Do I know you?"

"No. I'm Lexie."

"Derek."

"I don't mean to pry…but what was she like?"

"Meredith?" Lexie nodded. "She was brilliant…beautiful. She was so passionate, she would have changed the world of surgery."

"You loved her." Lexie realized.

"We were dating." Derek winced at the words. He and Meredith were more than that…they were meant to be.

"I'm sorry." Lexie's eyes widened. "I didn't mean-"

"You didn't. It's fine." He smiled sadly. "Why are you here?" His words weren't unkind, just curious.

"I'm…Lexie Grey. She was my sister."

Derek blinked. "Oh."

"Yeah, my dad called…and here I am." She was curious about her sister's life. About the man she loved and the man that loved her. She had always felt more of a connection with Meredith than Molly because of their similarities. "I'm sorry I didn't know her."

"She was extraordinary." Derek stood up. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee." As he was walking away, he hesitated a minute before clapping Lexie softly on the shoulder.


	5. Chapter 5

Lexie sat outside, on a swinging bench, her heels discarded and her legs drawn up to her side.

"Hey." She looked up to see a handsome blonde man in front of her. "Mind if I join you?'

Lexie shook her head and placed her feet on the ground to make room for the man.

They were silent for a while before the man spoke. "Who were you here for…which Dr. Grey?" He smiled sadly at the humor.

Lexie hesitated. She was kind of here for them both. Her father was, at least. "Meredith." She smiled back at the man sadly. "I'm Lexie."

"Mark." The man glanced at Lexie's outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it. "You look like her, you know. Same big eyes."

Lexie blinked. "You knew?"

"Derek told me." Mark shrugged. They sat in silence for a while before Mark spoke again. "On the day she died…when Meredith was in that room, Ellis wasn't lucid. I told them to sedate her. That it would be a day she'd want to sleep through. And then she died. They both died." Mark didn't look at her, just down at his hands. "Turns out to be a bad day to be a Grey." He snorted.

Lexie didn't realize she'd moved her hand to cover the older surgeon's. "I talked to Chief Webber. He said that he'd review my application personally, even though I missed the deadline." Lexie tried to change the subject.

Mark smiled sadly. "Little Grey."

Lexie snorted. "I'll be the only Grey." She stated, her voice filled with sadness and regret. "And they'll all hate me."

Mark couldn't disagree. "Some won't." He said instead. "If Derek didn't today, he won't when we all work together."

"Would she have?"

"Who?" Mark was confused at the mysterious questioning.

Lexie was blunt. "Would Meredith have hated me?"

Mark closed his eyes. "Probably." He smiled sadly, thinking of the smart, dark and twisty intern. "But I have a feeling you wouldn't have let her for long." He was surprised when his own hand moved to cover hers. "You probably would have worn her down and lived here, with the residents. You would have fought for awhile still, but she would have, deep down, liked you."

Lexie felt a tear slip from her eye. She'd never know if Meredith would have liked her. She'd never know her sister and she didn't know if she could ever forgive her father for that.


End file.
